St. Landry democrat., 1887-06-04
- a OF ESTION OF DRESS
The Singular Cause of Trouble at Ha-
warden Church.


| 1t is sad reflection that as soon as
the question of dress entered Paradise
happiness went out of it. So. we fear #
may betall at Hawarden, the parish which
mas become renowned beyond most other
parishes as being the place to which
Mt. Gladstone retreats from his political
contests. \ question of dress has arisen
IN that locality, and promises fair to
/ become burning, and to set half the in
habltants at loggerheads with the other
molety 1t seems that the bishop of St.
Asaph held confirmation last week
at HaWarden, and among the candi
dates was young lady from Hope,
who had duly prepared herself
for the sacred rite. The rubric
says that candidates must be able to re-
peat by heart the creed, the Lords
Prayer, and the ten commandments, and
answer the questions in the short cate
chism. The fair aspirant knew all these;
she was letter perfect in her duty to
her neighbor' and the definition of sac
raments. All this involves no small
degree OF preparation, and all the greater
was the disappointment which ensued.
She was in the waiting room of HaWar-
den rectory, adjusting her confirmation
cap, with the help of her mother, before
gong into church, when a curate APP
peared and informed her that she would
not be allowed to wear the cap, and
could only be confirmed in the special
pattern used in the parish In vain
did the young lady and her mamma
demonstrate with the reverend gen
tleman. He continued sternly to offer
the alternative of the parish cap
or no continuation. The bishop was
waiting, the holy service impending, the
young white-robed candidates fast flock
ing into church. Agitated by the cleri-
cal ultlmatum, the young lady tried on
the regulation cap before the rectors
mirror. 1t was not becoming to her face
and form: the headdress is described as a
Sister of Mercy cap. Briefly she liked
her own ever so much better; and so did
her mamma. The consequence was that
the pair quilted the rectory feeling
deeply aggrieved and insulted," and re-
turned home without ever seeing the in
side of the church. The matter was
thought grave enough to be referred to
the bishop, who, in a pastoral letter, evil
IDENTIFY meant to pour oil upon the stormy
waters, has pointed out the fact that the
veil, or cap with veil, has been used at
Hawarden combinations by all female
candidates since 1872, and that the
rule cannot well be dispensed with.
Yet the bishop, it is clear, does not
wish to make a casus 5el1j Of the
point. He observes that, after all, be
it veil, be it cap, or a combination of the
two, all that is wanted is decent COW
ering for the head The right reverend
prelate adds that he has confirmation
coming off at Gresford soon. This i'm
plies, we doubt not, that the aggrieved
young lady may present herself in the
service at Gresford, wearing what she
will upon her head so long as it is white,
modest and appropriate Nor can we
fail to admire the prudence of the bishop
N thus offering modus gioendl for the
young lady's friends had provided them
selves with sharp-pointed weapons in the
way of arguments. They allege, for in
stance, that four female candidates wore
exactly the same head-dress as that pro-
cribed by the curate in the Hawarden
church, and that the offending couture
lid strictly and correctly comply with
he rule demanding decent covering
or the head. '-London Telegraph